a bleeding purple utah jazz blog

Game 42 Jazz vs. Wizards: That’s so Jazz

It was not a pretty game and the Jazz didn’t play very well, giving up a 20-2 Wizards run late in the game. On the flip side, they won and there sure were a lot of highlights along the way…Most of them involving Jamaal Tinsley. Dude got style for days…and who doesn’t enjoy a good nutmeg?

Who wins the Hat-Off? Text J1 for Matt Harpring, J2 for Randy Foye, or J3 for Enes Kanter. (Not really, just cast your vote in the comments.)

Midseason Grades for the Jazz**Paul Millsap: I would say a C+, B. Little bit above average right now. You know, could be a lot better, you know, should be, you know, but still got a ways to go.**Gordon Hayward: B-. We need to be more consistent.**Marvin Williams: B. Maybe five or six games that we potentially could’ve won, and we kinda let slip away.**Randy Foye: B. I think [we] worked through some injuries. We worked through, you know, just some ups and downs. Scheduling, tough part of the schedule. So I give us a B.**Al Jefferson: A good high C…We got room for improvement.

Jerry Sloan and a guy in a horse head *and* Fes jersey. Wut. (via @jazzhype)

Quotage**Randy Foye on Big Al, shootaround: Me and him, being teammates when we were younger to now, you know, Al is 360 degrees the way he changed. Work ethic, the way he understand the game, the way he prepare for the game. It’s just unbelievable.**Big Al on the Jazz’s improved offense, shootaround: I think we at our worst when we try to get the ball inside, just try to pound the ball inside. Team do a great job of, you know, just keying in on the inside, you know, the bigs. But when we flowing in our offense, guys double team, guys cut, you know, just to get another guy open, and Gordon or Randy get a wide-open shot, you know, off a double team. You know, I think that’s when we at our best because teams gotta pick and choose their poison…The one game I missed against Toronto, the way they moved the ball, I remember I said when I came back I wanna keep it like that, ’cause it was the best thing I ever seen. You know, the ball just kept moving.

**Tyrone Corbin, asked whether the Jazz losing three consecutive 4th quarters is cause for concern: How many of those games we won? [All three.] We’ll take that.**Corbin on what the second unit does differently than the starters: A lot more energy. I mean, they have a lot more energy. Defensively, they take it up. They a lot more aggressive on the pick and roll situation. They come up; they cover each other faster because they’re younger, more athletic guys…On offense, I think we do a better job of going from strong side to weak side quicker, and just making the play with that group in…If they can play free, it’s better. When it’s a little bit of pressure, then they tend to think a little bit more. But it’s a growing process for them. That’s part of their journey, and they’ll continue to grow and get better.

**Big Al on the Jazz turning Nene and Emeka Okafor into non-factors: Yeah, I can’t speak for everybody else. My offense sucked.**Big Al on the second unit: They get out, bring that energy. You know, I think it start with G-Time [Gordon Hayward]. You know, Big Turkey [Enes Kanter] playing well. Derrick Favors playing well. You know, depending on who you want to go with, go with DeMarre [Carroll] or go with Alec [Burks], you know, you got just a lot of different options.**Randy Foye on games with big leads: Those games are important to get the guys like Jeremy [Evans], the guys like [Kevin] Murph[y], even Alec [Burks] to some extent, to get them in…We owe that to them.

**Enes Kanter on the hat: Dude, I had to get it from Matt Harpring. You know, that was his hat. I like it, though. It’s nice. I like it.**Kanter on Al’s velvet jacket: He probably saw it from me last game. Like, he probably wear it too. Haha. The fashion is changing, this team. Yeah, I’m gonna change it.

Unintentional Dirty Quote Machines of the Night (UDQM)** Frank Isola on trades on 1280: I wouldn’t do Andrea Bargnani. To me, he’s too soft.** Marvin, shootaround: Mo goes down, a lot of people kinda drop their heads.** Harpring to Boler: Your head’s too big. Boler: I’ve had that problem all my life. I think it’s almost a Size 8, to be honest. (H/T @bjcseven)** Boler on Hayward: Most 6’8″ players can’t perform.** Boler to Thurl: T, real quick: You impressed with the speed of Wall?** Thurl Bailey on Hayward: I think it’s the whole package we have really seen in him. (H/T @dianaallen)** Foye, post-game: My teammates, they open it up for me. They help me get off. They help me. Big Al. G. Paul. Jamaal. The list goes on and on.